Home Improvement Finance

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with local authorities, building societies and other financial institutions on the wider provision of finance for home improvement.

A preliminary discussion of the Green Paper "Home Improvement — A new Approach" took place on 10 June between representatives of the local authority associations and Ministers at the meeting of the Housing Consultative Council. My Department intends to discuss the Green Paper with a wide range of interested bodies, including the financial institutions.